Garment workers clash with police in Kachpur

Workers from Sinha Opex Garments in Kachpur have blockaded the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway for one and a half  hours to press home a three-point demand, including the payment of salary by the 10th of each month.

Narayanganj Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 15 Sept 2019, 11:44 AM
Updated : 15 Sept 2019, 11:44 AM

The protests caused severe traffic congestion on the highway from 10 am to 11.30 am as the workers torched tyres and logs in protest.

Police subsequently charged batons and fired tear shells to disperse the protesters,said Additional Superintendent of Industrial Police Saikat A Shahin.

The Sinha Opex Garment authority has been laying off workers on "different excuses" over the past few months, said the protesters. According to the protesters, the garment maker violated the labour law by failing to pay three months' salary to some workers upon their dismissals.

Protesters alleged that the owners do not pay allowances when a worker goes on maternity leave while monthly salaries are often paid after the 15th of the month.

Police tried to persuade the protesters to leave the streets as the traffic came to a standstill, said ASP Saikat.

"But the workers ignored it and kept protesting on the road. Later the police dispersed them by charging batons, firing blank shots and tear gas shells."

Workers subsequently threw brickbats at the law enforcers, injuring at least five policemen, said ASP Saikat.

The protesters on the other hand claimed that 20 workers were injured when the police charged at them.

The factory authority did not issue any statement on the complaints raised by the workers.